In this bulletin: Brazil votes in a closely watched presidential election; Ethiopian forces take Mekelle airport as Tigrayan fighters withdraw; Japan protests after US Marine is arrested over suspected murder; Latvia’s pro-Ukraine coalition wins the largest share in parliamentary election; Tennessee prison chief to resign after failed execution.
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In this episode
- Brazil votes in a closely watched presidential election
- Ethiopian forces take Mekelle airport as Tigrayan fighters withdraw
- Japan protests after US Marine is arrested over suspected murder
- Latvia’s pro-Ukraine coalition wins the largest share in parliamentary election
- Tennessee prison chief to resign after failed execution
Transcript
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- France 24Brazil heads to the polls for high-stakes election between Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro
- RechercheLula is seeking a fourth, non-consecutive presidential term. He previously governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010 and returned to office after defeating Jair Bolsonaro in 2022.
- Deutsche WelleVoting in Brazil's 2026 presidential election has begun, with polls showing Lula and Bolsonaro nearly tied
- RechercheAlmost 159 million people are eligible to vote. They are also choosing members of Congress, state governors, state legislators and 54 of the Senate’s 81 members.
- RechercheThe election is closely watched because Lula represents the left, while Flávio Bolsonaro is a right-wing candidate who has presented himself as an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump.
- RechercheJair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence after being convicted over a coup plot following his 2022 election defeat. His conviction has made democratic institutions a central issue in the campaign.
- RechercheBrazil uses electronic voting machines, introduced in the 1990s to reduce fraud, and election results are normally reported within hours after voting ends.
- AfricanewsEthiopian forces recapture Mekelle airport from Tigrayan fighters
- ABC NewsOpposition fighters in northern Ethiopia's Tigray withdraw from regional capital
- RechercheThe TPLF was Ethiopia’s dominant ruling force from 1991 to 2018. Its loss of power and later confrontation with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed helped lead to the previous civil war.
- Deutsche WelleJapan: US Marine arrested in Okinawa on suspicion of murder
- RechercheThe suspect was assigned to the III Marine Expeditionary Force and based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, near Naha.
- Fox NewsUS Marine arrested in Japan over suspected killing of woman as Tokyo lodges 'strong protest'
- CBC NewsPro-Ukraine governing coalition wins 35% in Latvian election
- ABC NewsPro-Ukraine governing coalition wins 35% in Latvian election
- RechercheThe result leaves Latvia’s populist parties politically weaker, and Kulbergs’s coalition may be able to form a government without them.
- RechercheLatvian parties must win at least 5% of the vote to enter parliament, a rule that can keep smaller parties out and still leaves coalition-building necessary when several parties divide the vote.
- RechercheThe election followed a political crisis in May 2026. The previous coalition collapsed after disputes over the government’s response to Ukrainian drones that crossed into Latvian territory while heading toward Russia.
- RechercheLatvia is a NATO and European Union member on NATO’s eastern flank. It borders Russia and Belarus, which is closely allied with Moscow, so security concerns strongly shaped the campaign.
- Deutsche WelleTennessee's prison chief resigns after botched execution of murderer Christa Pike
- BBC NewsTennessee prison chief to resign after Christa Pike's failed execution
- Al JazeeraTennessee prisons official resigns after Christa Pike’s failed US execution
- PBS NewsTennessee's prisons chief is resigning after the failed execution of Christa Pike